Customizing the link thumbnail displayed when sharing site via text, Facebook, etc?

I think I have a method, but I'm not sure if it will work, or if anyone has a proper understanding of how to do it, but here's what I have.

PLEASE CORRECT ME WHERE I'M WRONG:

I once was able to customize the thumbnail and message for my Blogger page whenever it was shared via text message, Facebook Messenger, Facebook Post, etc., by using an open graph generator.

Here's a couple of links to some generators, there are probably others:
https://smallseotools.com/open-graph-generator/
https://realfavicongenerator.net/soc...8#.XVXh8-hKiUk

Enter your info, grab your picture, enter the image URL, etc., then copy the generated HTML metadata.

On Blogspot, I posted my metadata straight into the HTML, on Xara you'll need to copy and paste it into "HTML Code (head)" once you get it from the generator.

Go to Utilities>Web Properties>"Website" Tab>"HTML Code (head)" Button: then paste it into the dialog box after you click the button.
Attachment 124795

Facebook caches these types of link thumbnails, so after you have added the code and updated your site, you'll need to "scrape" Facebook's servers of the old link thumbnail, otherwise, your new one WILL NOT SHOW UP.

Once your site is updated with the code, go to this link:
https://developers.facebook.com/tools/debug/sharing/

Enter your site's URL, and click "Debug": test your new thumbnail by sharing it via Facebook Messenger or sharing it on your wall.

I've never tried it with Xara, I don't know anyone who has though I searched for it a little in Talk Graphics, I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF IT WILL WORK, and I am not, by any stretch of the imagination, a coder;
but I plan to try out the same method this evening on my own website because my thumbnail is not what I want.

If my method works, I'll confirm it in this thread.

Peace be with you,

-Braden

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Braden

Here's a couple of links to some generators, there are probably others:
https://smallseotools.com/open-graph-generator/
https://realfavicongenerator.net/social/?fbclid=IwAR3bYogrn8r7wN8PQk85B_GgBALP6VdjVkLr7iLZ CEzk1c-zl-ywffKwYp8#.XVXh8-hKiUk

---

The red link, doesn't seem to work. The image stayed the same as it was, but the text I inserted DID WORK: the location is correct!

The first link is what I used with Blogger, trying it now.

Stay tuned . . .

IT WORKED!!!!

This line of code, when properly filled out, will create a customized image thumbnail which will be displayed when you share your site via text message, Facebook, WhatsApp, Facebook messenger, and etc.

<meta content='YOUR TITLE' property='og:title'/>
<meta content='YOUR SITE NAME' property='og:site_name'/>
<meta content='YOUREXACTSITE.URL' property='og:url'/>
<meta content='YOUR DESCRIPTION' property='og:description'/>
<meta content='website' property='og:type'/>
<meta content='YOUR EXACT IMAGE URL' property='og:image'/>

DO NOT REMOVE THE 'QUOTES' SHOWN AROUND THE CAPITALIZED WORDS!

Replace YOUR TITLE, YOUR SITE NAME, YOUREXACTSITE.URL, YOUR DESCRIPTION, and YOUREXACTIMAGE.URL with your information, NOT CHANGING THE 'website' PORTION, then copy and paste it into the following path:
Utilities>Web Properties>"Website" Tab>"HTML Code (head)" Button

This is what my result looked like when sharing in facebook messenger:

Thanks for this, Braden. I'll have a go, it may well take the fancy of a few people I can think of. I wonder how long it would take for the bots to pick it up without having to manually purge (debug)?

Please let us know how it goes!

As far as I know, it won't show up unless you debug it, at least on Facebook:
https://developers.facebook.com/tools/debug/sharing/

This one made it work instantly for me, but you'll have to sign into Facebook.

Please share a link to a better one as I am unaware of any other debugger that works like this one did for me.

Thanks Chris, peace be with you!

Well done.

Thanks Gary!

To dispel any confusion due to the volume of posts above, I am going to more succinctly write out the instructions HERE as I am now sure that the method works.